Ian Balding
| Ian Balding | |
|---|---|
| Born |
7 November 1938 United States |
| Occupation | Horse trainer |
| Spouse(s) | Emma Hastings-Bass |
| Children | Clare, Andrew |
Ian Balding (born 7 November 1938) is a British horse trainer. He is the son of the polo player and racehorse trainer Gerald Matthews Balding and the younger brother of trainer Toby Balding. Born in the US, his family returned to the UK in 1945. He was educated at Marlborough College and Millfield school in Somerset. Kingsclere became his home at the age of 26 and it is here that earned his reputation as an internationally respected trainer.
He principally trains horses for flat races, but did however bring Crystal Spirit to victory in 1991 at the Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle. Ian Balding has had influence on many top class Thoroughbreds and race horses, amongst whom some are Mill Reef, Lochsong, Mrs Penny, Glint of Gold, Diamond Shoal, Gold and Ivory, Selkirk, Forest Flower, Dashing Blade, Robellino, Silver Fling, King of Clubs, Lochangel, Top Cees, Crystal Spirit, and Tagula. Ian Balding retired in 2002 and gave his Park House stables licence at Kingsclere, Berkshire, to his son Andrew.
Balding was trainer of the winning horse, Mill Reef (1968–1986), ridden by Geoff Lewis, in the 1971 The Derby Stakes or Epsom Derby. The winning time was recorded at 2:37.14. Balding was again Mill Reef's trainer when the horse won the 1971 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France. Philanthropist Paul Mellon was Mill Reef's owner and the horse was again ridden by jockey Geoff Lewis. The purse won was €1,600,000. Mill Reef was introduced to racing older horses at Sandown Park in the Eclipse Stakes. With the same owner and jockey Mill Reef came in at a time of 2:05.40. 1971 was an excellent year for this three-year-old horse and its team, coming in first at the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes with a time of 2:32.56 on the 1 mile 4 furlongs (2,414 m) Ascot Racecourse. Even though Mill Reef was born and bred at the Virginia Rokeby Stables he was sent to England to race on turf courses in Europe and to be trained by Balding. Geoff Lewis rode Mill Reef in all his races, bearing the owner's colours: black with gold cross, stripe on cap.
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